I vastly underestimated how much I would LOVE being a homeowner. As someone who tends to take commitments pretty seriously, owning a home has always been one which sounded a bit overwhelming. Yes, although I realize that homes can always be sold and you can still move if you ever wanted to or needed to – it still seemed like a scary commitment. However, after we have been living here for about a month and a half, we have been hard at work making upgrades to the house and it has been tremendously rewarding and fun. I now totally get everyone’s obsession with all things HGTV, although I still haven’t jumped down that rabbit hole. I do however succumb to the Pinterest time warp on a semi-regular basis.
Patience is not one of my top 10, 20, or maybe even 30 virtues so we’ve been working on home improvement projects full steam ahead. And with so much time spent on the house, I’m feeling like I’m slacking on a couple other key areas of importance. It’s so gratifying to literally see and feel the difference that an afternoon of painting makes in comparison with the more pedestrian activities of life like meal prep. And the money spent on tiling sure looks a lot prettier than it does sitting in my bank account. However, I know I need to find a balance between spending every free minute fixing baseboards or configuring storage spaces and all the other responsibilities I have in life. Sigh.
And in addition to “responsibilities” I also know I need to make time for “fun.” I LOVE to work and be productive so sometimes I have to force myself to slow down and connect with others or plan something for pure recreation or relaxation. Although THIS has all been fun for me, I have to consider the fact that I am only one half of the official Team Vasquez (although Coco and Lulu would likely both take Jon’s side on this one too!) and my husband does want and needs some down time for enjoyment.
So in light of both our birthdays and Valentine’s Day this week, we are going to do just that – starting with a Valentine’s appropriate twist on one of my favorite healthy treats – Three Ingredient Paleo Cherry Pie Bars! This little tasty snack is on-the-go, freezer friendly and as easy as it gets leaving you more time for work or play – whichever you prefer.
Three Ingredient Paleo Cherry Pie Bars
Prep Time: Up to 2 hours
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Servings: 24
Ingredients:
- Dried Cherries 1 cup (180 g)
- Dates 10 each
- Raw Almonds (140 g)
Instructions:
- Soften your dates by soaking in a bowl with water just covering them for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. The longer that you soak, the easier it will be to combine them with other ingredients in your blender or food processor. You can also chop them up into smaller pieces before soaking as well to help with this process. When finished, drain the dates, but save some of the water in the bowl.
- Place the dates, almonds, and cherries into your blender or food processor to combine, very slowly adding water if needed. Be careful not to add too much water at once, because you want the mixture to be sticky, but clumped together.
- If you would like to make bars, you will line a baking sheet with wax paper or Silpat mat and press out the mixture evenly, using the back of metal spatula if necessary. If you prefer to make balls, roll a tablespoon size portion between your hands to shape and place on a prepared baking sheet.
- Place in the fridge until firm. If you are making bars, use a knife, pizza OR heart shaped (or any other) cookie cutter to slice into desired size and shape. And enjoy!
I recommend storing these in the refrigerator until the day that you intend to eat them, just so that the consistency stays the same, but they are definitely able to be keep in your handbag or with you on the go for the day of without being kept cool. They may also be stored in the freezer for later enjoyment for up to 2 months.
You also have the option to chop up the nuts separately with a food chopper or in a small plastic bag if your blender/food processor is not designed to pulse them.
